Author: (Teatr STU). Sawka, Jan.
Title: Original Color Offset Lithograph Poster by Jan Sawka for Poland's Teatr Stu.
Description: No place, publisher, nor date, listed, [circa 1970's]. - An original 21 inch high by 20-3/4 inch wide black, white, and red offset lithograph poster, an abstract portrait of a person, likely a man, portrayed from the shoulders up. A wild black mane of hair frames a gray, black & white face at the center of which "STU" is printed in black and white above a red & black shirt. A black rays of the sun are centered between the striped shoulders of the shirt with "TEATR" printed at the bottom center left. The image is set against a background of diagonal red and white stripes with a peace logo at top right. Black margins frame the image and the artist's name "SAWKA" is printed vertically in red along the right margin. Once folded vertically and horizontally, probably for mailing, there are staple or pin holes to the corners. There is a short tear near the bottom of the right edge and another to the left edge of the middle fold. Very good.

Provenance: Gift of the designer to The Iowa Theater Lab, an experimental theater company which settled in Catskill, NY, located not far from his home in High Falls, NY.

The Polish-American artist and architect Jan Sawka (1946-2012) was born in the Silesian city of Zabrze. His father was imprisoned by the communist regime in Poland. A leading artist of the counter-culture, Sawka earned a master's degree in painting and print-making and was famous as a member of the Polish Poster School. He became known for his posters and stage sets. He was exiled from Poland for his activities in opposition to the government and immigrated to New York. He created editorial drawings for the New York Times and created prints posters and sets for the theatre. He created posters and sets for The Grateful Dead, including a 10-story tall set for their 25th Anniversary tour in 1989.

Originally a student theatre created by Krzystof Jasinski in 1986, STU Teatr produced avant-garde works and open-air performances. The theatre company evolved into a project-based company whose repertoire included Polish and world classics. Very good .

Keywords: ART; PRINT; OFFSET LITHOGRAPH; PRINT; ORIGINAL POSTER; JAN SAWKA; POLISH POSTER; POLAND; TEATR STU; STU THEATER; POLISH-AMERICAN ARTIST; AVANT-GARDE; PERFORMING ART; 20TH CENTURY; TWENTIETH CENTURY.

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